Plymouth group wants status
By MICHAEL ARKUSH
Several prominent members of the
Plymouth Association for Retarded
Citizens (ARC) yesterday said they
were deeply upset over their non-
member status on a committee to in-
vestigate abuse charges at -the
Pl ymouth Center for Human Develop-
ment.
The committee, appointed by Gover-
nor William Milliken several weeks ago
and headed by University School of
Education Dean Wilbur Cohen, has
conducted three official meetings with
PAC members being relegated to
"guest status" on the committee.
"WE'RE NOT giving too much input
and we're very disappointed about it.
Anyone could come to these meetings
and get the same notes we do," said
PARC President Alice Saules.
PARC member Sandy McGuire said
the minutes reports from the first two
task force meetings listed PARC
representatives as "guests" and not as
official committee members.
"The first time it might have been a
mistake but the second time it was in-
tentional," said McGuire.
THE COHEN committee held its
third meeting Tuesday and again failed
to propose any new changes to improve
conditions at the institution. The com-
mittee did hear reports from other
special committees also assigned to the
Plymouth investigation.
A representative of the Bishop Comrn
mittee, appointed to study procedures
in handling and minimizing abuses at
Plymouth, announced at Tuesday's
meeting the committee had finished
their report but would not distribute
their findings until all the Bishop com-
mittee members could read the report.
The representative also said Governor
Milliken will receive the report on April
11th.
"Two weeks is a long time for an im-
portant report like that to collect dust;"
said McGuire.
ANOTHER committee, which is in-
vestigating old cases of abuse and
especially looking for illegalities in
recent deaths at the institution, repor-
ted they are slowly progressing in their
investigation. The committee was
established by the Department of Men-
tal Health and is responsible to the
Cohen committee to report its findings.
"The committees are going off into so
many directions that we may wind up
with nothing," said Saules.
It was also disclosed at Tuesday's
meeting that Evelyn Provitt, acting
director of the Plymouth Center,
believes her staff is too busy to continue
as members of fact-finding committees
responsible for investigating specific
cases of alleged abuse at the institution.
There are currently three cases of
specific abuses being investigated and
no findings have been released.
Also announced at the meeting was
the establishment of a new interviewing
committee at Plymouth which would
reserve the right to reject any applican-
ts they considered unqualified for ward
attendant positions, even if they had
passed the Civil Service exams. In the
past, a person could be hired just on the
basis of test results.
However, "the Civil Serivice Com-
mission, if they believe a certain can-
didate is very qualified could reverse
the findings of the interviewing com-
mittee," observed McGuire.
McGuire expressed concern the en-
tire investigation was dragging on and
hasn't proposed any specific recom-
mendations. She cautioned, however,
that bureaucratic action often takes a
long time to achieve its goals.
"This situation is so complex that I
can understand why it's taking so long
to achieve significant progress," said
McGuire.
The Michigan Daily-Friday, March 31, 1978-Page 5
SUFI DANCING:
Its Central Asian and Anatolian Origins
by
Dr. Metin And
Ankara University, Turkey
MONDAY, APRIL 3-4:00 P.M.
Room 200 Lane Hall
Reception following the lecture
Center for Near Eastern & North African Studies
Focus on roads
inFiftEh
(Continued from Page 1)
repair if the job is to be done right.
'''HE PEOPLE of this town have to
decide if they are willing to support
street repairs through additional
cillage," says Cmejrek.
"The people are either going to'have
to pay higher taxes or live with a slow
road repair program," says Goldberg.
"! know that's not a vote-winning stand
but it's honest."
However, Cmejrek and Goldberg do
not agree on the use of federal CDBG
funds for street repair.
CMEJREK SAYS he is in favor of
channeling the $1.8 million in' federal
funds to solving the street problem. But
Goldberg argues this money would not
come near to solving the problem and
would severely curtail human services
such as daycare centers, legal aid ser-
vices and senior citizen programs
currently financed by CDBG funds.
City officials have estimated that $76
million is needed to repair the roads.
The two hopefuls also differ over the
best method for developing and main-
taining the downtown area.
Cmejrek stresses the need for more
parking structures in the downtown
area. "The downtown area has to be
kept vital and the only way is parking,"
he says. "The downtown area will die if
the-parking problem is not solved."
GOLDBERG, HOWEVER, favors in-
creased use of public transportation in-
stead of parking structures, which he
sayswill d?'troy the "character" of the
doWftbtUi area.'I'nstead he would like
to see satellite parking developed out-"
side of the downtown area which would
be served by shuttle bus service. In ad-
dition3 Goldberg has pledged to work
for establishing line bus service to the
Pauline-Stadium-Maple area which he
says is the only part of the city without
scheduled public transportation.
Throughout the campaign, Goldberg
has placed a strong emphasis on im-
Ward
proving city housing. Specifically,
Goldberg would like to see private,
moderate-cost housing built on city-
owned land which was purchased for
the aborted Packard-Beakes highway
project. He says this plan would not
only provide needed housing but also
boost the downtown area and return the
property to the tax rolls.{
Cmejrek sayshousing developers
should be encouraged to build
moderate-priced housing in the city.
Also Cmejrek calls for the University to
take a more responsible role in
providing housing.
BOTH CANDIDATES support the two
ballot proposals but in varying degrees.
Proposition A, the "Truth in Renting
Act" would prohibit landlords from in-
cluding illegal and unenforceable
clauses in leases and Proposition B
calls for the city to finance a three-part
tenants' rights handbook.
Cmejrek supports both proposals but,
says he feels it is not necessary for
them to be included in the city charter.
"If somebody really had the tenant in
mind they surely could have come up
with proposals which have more
meaning and importance than these."
Goldberg, too, is in favor of -both
proposals but he complains of "con-
fusion" which could develop over the
tenants handbook. "It's not perfect,"
Goldberg says of Proposition B, "but
it's better than what we have now."
THE TWO CANDIDATES also voiced
their opinions on Council's role in the,
city government.
Goldberg, who manages Tice's Men
Store at Maple Village, says Council
should not only legislate policy but take
a more active role in its administration.
He says his management experience
would be an asset in avoiding ad-
ministrative problems like the recent
city investment scandal and the illegal
voter controversy.
MARCH OF DIMES
RU N-A-T HON
sponsored by The NAVY ROTC UNIT
Saturday, April 1, 10 a.m.-The Arb
Anyone interested in participating contact Ron Kuhlman for
information, 994-0604
U
A
mressagle
f rom
ayor
hheeler
WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED. The Mayor's Job is a tough one. I've given
it three years of hatd work. We've made steady progress, during those years.
" Construction of a new sewage treatment plant has begun. This was an unglamorous but urgent
need. Without it, no new development could have taken place.
* Approval has been won for the development of 350 new housing units: 240 for seniors and 110
for families.
* Summit Street Park has been completed, while the development of Gallup Park and nine
neighborhood parks continues.
* Major improvements have been made in the Pittsfield-Ann Arbor drain.and sanitary sewer to
prevent flooding and water back-ups in Southeast Ann Arbor.
* Plans are underway for Traver, Swift Run, Depot, and Allen Creek flood relief improvements.
" The construction of a new $2,000,000 fire station has been completed.
" Two parking structures have been purchased to save taxpayer's money. With major repairs
made on the Maynard and 4th/ Williams structures. A sinking fund for on-going maintenance is
now in operation.
"MODERN ITALIAN POETRY"
by
PIERO SANAVIO
Friday, March 31-4:10 P.M.
West Conference Room, Rackham
,..
,a
I+
A
1
1
Yd
Sponsored by:
The Department of Romance Languages
and Literatures
1 4
ARMY SURPLUS
LEVI SALE
Levi's Straight Legs and Bell- Bottoms $9
Army Fatigue Pants and Shirts
Just arrived-Full selection-New and used
Coleman Peak I Backpacking Stove
No 576-700 Reg. $28.98 SALE $23.98
Seaway Two-Man Nylon Tent
with Rainfly complete with stakes, poles, and stuff sack
Reg. $43.98 NOW $36.98
" Serious crime has been significantly reduced in
None of the issues we face-roads,
waste water, housing-are simple.
Being Mayor requires time and
thought, which I have given and will
continue 1o give. I would iot want to
be anyone other than the kind of
Mayor I am-the kind of person I
am.
I am proud of this city. I have lived
here all my adult life. I ask for your
support to finish out my term.
each year- down 16% in 1977 alone.
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